Here’s the scoop: Villaraigosa travelled to the U.S Conference of Mayor’s gathering in Providence, Rhode Island last weekend, where he was elected to the position of the influential organization’s second vice president. That means “that in 2 years he will be the USCM President,” said Elena Temple of the organization in an e-mail today. “The mayors ascend the ladder each year from June to June.”

That means this year and next, he’s the organization’s second VP, in 2010 and 2011, he becomes vice president, and “in 2011/2012, he will be the president.”

Unless of course, he’s doing something else, like being governor of the Golden State.

With rumors swirling that the LA mayor is leaning against a run, this could be good news for other Dems in the mix — San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the only declared candidate to date, and State Attorney General Jerry Brown, who’s expected to jump in?